How to travel in Iceland during winter time??

How to travel to Höfn during winter?

Driving around Iceland is a wonderful way to experience all those wonders of nature at your own pace. When driving in the countryside you can easily get distracted by the beautiful surroundings. Despite the beauty don’t let it distract you while driving. If you see something that demands your attention, please find a safe place to park and then gaze at the beauty of the island.

There are couple ways to travel to Höfn, you can travel by plane, local bus or rent a car. If going by rent a car and there is an option to rent a 4×4, it is better but not necessary. When renting a car during the winter make sure that the tires are studded. During the winter roads can be quite tricky, and not just during winter, there are blind curves and hills, one lane bridges and narrow passes. Drive carefully and follow all the road regulations and speed limits.

Another good tip, not just for traveling during winter, but summer to, is to fill up the car when you see a gas station. There are not so many gas stations on the south coast and it can be far between them.

The distance between Reykjavik to Höfn is 450 kilometers (280 miles), that’s around six hours of straight driving. It’s not complicated because we only have one main road, route 1.
If you are going to stop on the way, which you probably are because ICELAND, plan for more time. Another reason for adding more travel time is because, when driving in the winter the roads can be tricky, also less day-light during the winter than summer (link á birtulengd). Therefor in winter it is good to divide the south coast trip into at least two parts. If you want to cover the whole south coast during winter and see the main locations, it is good to stay somewhere around Vik and then continue towards Höfn and stay there another night.

Still, after planning the whole trip, weather can suddenly change, or sections of roads can be closed for a variety of reasons, so always have a back-up plan and be flexible for change.

General Tips for driving in Iceland

– In Iceland, we drive on the right side of the road
– By law, you have to wear seatbelts, children to and infants must be seated in car-safety seats
– General speed limit is 30-50 km/hour in populated areas, 80km/hour on gravel roads in rural areas and 90 km/hour on paved roads
– Car headlight must be on at all times, day or night.
– The emergency number in Iceland is 112
– Off road driving is illegal in Iceland!